College game will miss true gentleman

Did you ever meet someone who was the exact opposite of what you thought they would be?

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poconorecord.com

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Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Posted Feb. 28, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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Did you ever meet someone who was the exact opposite of what you thought they would be?

For me, that was Bloomsburg University football coach Danny Hale.

Hale was the guy on the opposite sideline, then at West Chester, while I was in an East Stroudsburg University uniform. He was the enemy. A bearded, grumpy, middle-aged man, who wanted nothing more to beat my team.

How dare he.

He was cocky. He was arrogant. He was over-confident.

He was ... a darn good football coach.

I last talked to Hale two months ago, conversing with him about his Harlon Hill finalist running back Franklyn Quiteh. Quiteh, a Pocono Mountain West graduate, had just finished his second 2,000-yard rushing season with the Huskies as a junior.

Hale had a way of grooming great running backs. Now that's all over.

On Tuesday, Hale announced that he was retiring. Now 66, he says it's time to be a grandfather.

When I saw the headline, "Hale calls it quits," part of me gasped.

You see, about 10 years ago the cocky coach with the beard and the attitude showed me another side — humility, respectfulness, hell, he was human.

He wasn't the jerk I thought he was years ago. I was expecting one thing and got another.

From 2003-06, Bloomsburg and East Stroudsburg were at each other's throats. Both had very good teams and the rivalry was never better. For four years, I don't think I ever missed one of the Bloomsburg-ESU games.

In 2005, both teams were at their best. Bloomsburg had an offensive line that could move mountains — led by now New Orleans Saints guard Jahri Evans.

ESU had Jimmy Terwilliger — the Warriors do-it-all quarterback who passed for 50 touchdowns that year. That year the Huskies and Warriors met in the Division II playoffs in Bloomsburg. The stadium was packed.

Bloom jumped out to a 9-0 lead only to have ESU explode in the second half for a 52-39 victory.

And then came the postgame interview. I waited for the fireworks, for the excuses, for the "we could have done this" speech.

It never came.

Hale praised ESU up and down — their players and coaches.

The next year in 2006, Bloomsburg returned the favor, beating ESU 45-37. It was another one of Hale's school record 173 victories. It would be the last time Hale's team would have to face that thorn-in-his-side QB Terwilliger.

"It's a big sigh of relief," said Hale that afternoon of never facing Terwilliger again. "He's special."

And that's when I knew Hale wasn't the guy I thought he was. He's one of the all-time greats and a coach who not only will be missed by Bloomsburg, but by many in college football.